MECC vs. Tidewater Community College

Deciding between Mountain Empire Community College and Tidewater Community College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Tidewater Community College

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • MECC Big Stone Gap, VA
  • Tidewater Community College Norfolk, VA
  • Setting
  • MECC Rural Fringe
  • Tidewater Community College Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • MECC 2,116
  • Tidewater Community College 16,884
  • Type
  • MECC Public 2 Year
  • Tidewater Community College Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • MECC
  • Tidewater Community College
  • Religious Affiliation
  • MECC -
  • Tidewater Community College -
  • Status
  • MECC Non-profit
  • Tidewater Community College Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • MECC
  • Tidewater Community College

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • MECC $5,007
  • Tidewater Community College $5,588
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • MECC $11,445
  • Tidewater Community College $12,296
  • Room & Board
  • MECC $6,030
  • Tidewater Community College $15,452
  • Average Net Price
  • MECC $9,210
  • Tidewater Community College $11,876
  • Average Grant Aid
  • MECC $6,096
  • Tidewater Community College $7,648
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • MECC 93%
  • Tidewater Community College 60%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • MECC -
  • Tidewater Community College -
  • Admitted
  • MECC -
  • Tidewater Community College -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • MECC Open
  • Tidewater Community College Open
  • Enrolled
  • MECC Open
  • Tidewater Community College Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • MECC
  • Tidewater Community College
  • Typical ACT score
  • MECC
  • Tidewater Community College
  • Average High School GPA
  • MECC -
  • Tidewater Community College -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • MECC -
  • Tidewater Community College -
  • Admissions Standards
  • MECC Unavailable
  • Tidewater Community College Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • MECC
  • Tidewater Community College
  • ACT Range
  • MECC
  • Tidewater Community College
  • SAT Range
  • MECC
  • Tidewater Community College
  • Submit Test Scores
  • MECC Open admission
  • Tidewater Community College Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • MECC
  • Tidewater Community College

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • MECC 22:1
  • Tidewater Community College 22:1
  • Popular Majors
  • MECC
    • Health Professions (47%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
    • Business (10%)
    • Engineering Technology (8%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (3%)
  • Tidewater Community College
    • Social Sciences (19%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (19%)
    • Business (17%)
    • General Studies (9%)
    • Health Professions (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • MECC -
  • Tidewater Community College -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • MECC $27,300
  • Tidewater Community College $34,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • MECC -
  • Tidewater Community College 32%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • MECC N/A
  • Tidewater Community College $9,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • MECC N/A
  • Tidewater Community College $98

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • MECC 39%
  • Tidewater Community College 43%
  • % Women
  • MECC 61%
  • Tidewater Community College 57%
  • Racial Diversity
  • MECC Extremely Low
  • Tidewater Community College High
  • HBCU
  • MECC No
  • Tidewater Community College No
  • % White
  • MECC 95%
  • Tidewater Community College 46%
  • % Asian
  • MECC 0%
  • Tidewater Community College 4%
  • % Black
  • MECC 2%
  • Tidewater Community College 35%
  • % Hispanic
  • MECC 1%
  • Tidewater Community College 8%
  • % Native American
  • MECC 0%
  • Tidewater Community College 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • MECC 0%
  • Tidewater Community College 1%
  • % Two or More Races
  • MECC 1%
  • Tidewater Community College 5%
  • % International
  • MECC 0%
  • Tidewater Community College 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • MECC 0%
  • Tidewater Community College 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • MECC 98%
  • Tidewater Community College 98%
  • % Out-of-State
  • MECC 2%
  • Tidewater Community College 1%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • MECC No
  • Tidewater Community College No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • MECC No
  • Tidewater Community College No
  • Meal Plan
  • MECC No
  • Tidewater Community College No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • MECC Yes
  • Tidewater Community College Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • MECC No
  • Tidewater Community College Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Mountain Empire Community College in Big Stone Gap, VA with Tidewater Community College in Norfolk, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Tidewater Community College is larger than MECC based on total student enrollment (16,884 students vs. 2,116 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Mountain Empire Community College is located in Big Stone Gap, VA (Rural Fringe setting); Tidewater Community College is in Norfolk, VA (Midsize City setting).
  • Mountain Empire Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Tidewater Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Mountain Empire Community College 22:1; Tidewater Community College 22:1.

MECC vs. Tidewater Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MECC or Tidewater Community College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mountain Empire Community College than Tidewater Community College ($9,210 vs. $11,876).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mountain Empire Community College are 61% lower than at Tidewater Community College ($6,030 vs. $15,452).
  • Tidewater Community College is 11.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than MECC (about $581 more per year; $5,588.00 vs. $5,007.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 7.4% higher at Tidewater Community College than at Mountain Empire Community College (about $851 more per year; $12,296.00 vs. $11,445.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Mountain Empire Community College than at Tidewater Community College (93% vs. 60%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Tidewater Community College students is 25.5% larger than aid received by Mountain Empire Community College students ($7,648 vs. $6,096).

MECC vs. Tidewater Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, MECC or Tidewater Community College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Tidewater Community College and MECC.

  • Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: MECC - Open admission; Tidewater Community College - Open admission.

MECC vs. Tidewater Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for MECC and Tidewater Community College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Graduates from Tidewater Community College earn a median of about $7,000 more per year than MECC graduates about ten years after starting college ($34,300 vs. $27,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.